Chapter 3: Children
Moonrise on Bantoon.
Avaryss had come to love this time. This world she had taken was an abundance of treasures. Mineral wealth, construction capabilities, and, most of all, in this moment, a realm of great beauty.
She stood upon a balcony of the royal palace, below the city lights had winked on with the last rays of the sun, and now…a show began in the heavens, one she chose to enjoy, more often than not.
Work interfered sometimes, but this time…no…
…this time…she preferred to watch.
Such an amazing sight, no wonder the people of this world were so protective of it.
The various special anomalies, gravity wells, and radioactive clouds that made entering the system so difficult, were all visible after the sun went down. The night skies here, unlike those on most worlds she had visited, were a sea of colors and glowing shapes. Add into that the six moons that orbited the planet, and you had feast for the eyes, a sight worthy of inspiring poets and artists of every stripe.
The dark lord sighed, three of those moons were currently visible, fiery Helio, blue green Ocenana, and golden Geosi, all named for three of the six gods that the locals worshipped. The first two named for rumored lover gods, and the third, along with its compatriot Aerian, the brother and sister of the pantheon, a symbol of brotherly, or sisterly love among these people. It was said that these gods had watched over those who had dwelled on Bantoon for centuries, or so their faith claimed. The remaining two moons, Shae and Luminai, were said to be the avatars of life and death, always staying as far apart from each other when they appeared in the heavens, a sign of the dichotomy that was existence.
The elements, along with life and death, the symbols of existence in this galaxy. Shae and Luminai could also be seen as symbolic of the Force as well, she thought. The former a place of darkness, with the latter a white symbol of light.
So much like the Force and its light and dark sides.
She contemplated this belief as the heavens swirled overhead. Watching with a slight sense of awe as this latest stellar dance began.
She watched, and as it had been for almost two years now, she was not alone.
Tiny hands reached out for the moons, as if they could take them in their grasp, and pull them down, to be held like the small plastic spaceships that even now dotted the rug of the office behind them.
Avaryss looked down at small life she held in her arms, the child that she bounced on her hip. She could not hide the smile that came to her lips, not the cold sneer of a dark lord, but something gentler, kinder…
The smile of a woman contented.
The smile of an acceptant mother.
IOI
Her pregnancy had been a strange dance, made even more so by the fact that she was now ruler of a newly conquered world. True, she had the support of her cadre of nobles, and Lord Dustyn, but that didn't make it any easier, besides, they were not the real concern.
Her followers had needed to be watched very closely during those nine months. Some might have seen her condition as a weakness, a time that she could be exploited.
She had taken every possible step to make sure that had not happened.
First, she had hid the fact that she was going to have a child for as long as she could. She would have liked to have celebrated such a happy time, but the life of a Sith Master had taught her the value of caution. As she had begun to show, she wore larger and more elaborate robes, meant to hide growing belly. When that had not been possible, she had turned to her old friend Lujayne Holli.
Holli had been more than happy to double for her. She had, at least, been happy for her lord and friend. The dark lord had realized fairly quickly that she needed to keep the circle of those who knew about her condition small. Even more so with the arrival of more allies, that could so easily become potential rivals.
The coming of Darth Necris back into the fold had been useful. The Devaronian Sith had access to powers and resources that her former teacher didn't entirely understand. Yet, Avaryss was smart enough to keep her at arm's length, just in case.
Necris had always harbored a sense of hatred for her, after all, the dark lord had manipulated her into falling, then forced to submit completely to the dark side to save her life.
That caused some tension, and the dark lord was wise enough to recognize it. Necris wanted power, and to share in her coming victory, but that didn't mean she was fully trusted, oh no…
…no full Sith could ever be fully trusted.
Blyss and Jeer had already known she was pregnant, they had felt it during her final confrontation with Fenn. Since, she could not change that, she asked the two younglings to swear an oath of secrecy, they would speak to no one about her condition, under pain of severe punishment.
She had only needed to discipline Jeer once on that. The boy had suggested her condition around Abominus, another Sith that Avaryss only trusted so far. The boy had quickly been put back in his place by the merest hint of a Force choke.
After that, he knew she meant business.
Taya had been told, of course, the two had been friends and allies for almost a decade and a half now. Plus, Taya was also with child, which meant that few of their allies were surprised by the changes that happened within the dark lord's inner circle, most would have thought that Avaryss' had made these changes with her friend in mind alone.
A useful deception, and it had served her well, until she could no longer hide her condition, of course, by that point, all her security safeguards had been in place.
Everything had been in order, she had protection from the local Bann, and her own people. After that, it had been less than a month before she gave birth.
Taya's child had come first, her old friend had been blessed with another beautiful baby girl. A wonderful thing, considering that her first child, Avaryss' goddaughter Aya, had been killed on Ziost.
Her fellow Sith had wanted to name the girl Keera, an honor of sorts she said, choosing the birth name of her lord and ally. Avaryss had rejected it, not the honor, but the name itself.
No.
Keera was dead, and deserved to remain that way. Her memory still haunted Avaryss, the girl she had been before she fell to the dark side. No, Keera should NOT be honored. Instead, Avaryss suggested the name of Anj. The youngest of Keera Lylos' sisters.
Anj Lylos had died before ever really being able to taste all the fruits of life. It seemed fitting that her name now pass to one of the future rulers of the galaxy. Someone who would be able to enjoy all that the empire had to offer.
Taya had accepted, and Anj, Avaryss second godchild had been placed in her arms following her birth.
Less than a week later, Avaryss' labor had begun, and, after ten hours with Taya and Blyss at her side. She had brought her son into the galaxy.
Even now, she could still hear his first cries, and feel the tears of joy and relief on her face as the medical droid placed the babe in her arms.
My son, she had whimpered both to herself and the Force. Even as she looked down on the squalling pink thing cradled in her arms.
My child, she thought as his cries ceased and he stared up into her golden eyes.
MINE!
IOI
As she had done then, she looked at him now. She stared into the boy's hazel eyes, his father's eyes, and…as always, the thought gave her pause…
…even now…both the thought and the realization threatened to overwhelm her with melancholy.
Fenn, his face echoed through her mind, both his face, and how he had decided not to stay with her.
That he had chosen the Jedi way over her, and his family!
Rage came upon her then…
Rage, along with melancholy, hatred, and a sense of betrayal.
Fenn…choosing to be a Jedi!
It had been an insult!
Who did he think he was, she wondered, her lips pursing slightly.
How dare he leave this poor little sweetling without a father.
How dare HE!
The boy cooed in her arms, drawing her attention, and helped her focus on something more than rage, though it could not entirely extinguish that flame.
Feelings of betrayal remained.
You should have come with me, Fenn, she thought to herself a hint of anger continuing to flash in her eyes.
You should be here for ME, and for our son!
If the child sensed her anger, he didn't show it, to which she was grateful.
She felt only the simple curiosity of a toddler, that, and his love for his mother.
Love…unconditional.
Of course, in time, he would need to feel more than just love, especially if he wished to succeed her as emperor.
Rage, hate, and fear, he would need to know those emotions too…and in time embrace them, and take his place as the next Dark Lord of the Sith!
But she saw no reason to rush him into those feelings, or to set him on the path. He was only two after all, soon to be three in a few more months.
No, she saw no point in opening him up to the dark side, not yet.
He would have plenty of time to explore rage and thoughts of revenge…
…he was…so very young.
She examined him once more, her darling boy.
Eyes aside, she could not doubt what she knew to be true. The child was one thing to her, one thing above all.
Perfect!
He was her perfect darling boy!
Beyond the eyes, the boy's features didn't honor his father much, something she was grateful for. His dark hair, nose and mouth were all traits he had inherited from her, or rather, the body she had been using since before the child's birth.
He looks a bit like Captain Cooper, she thought to herself, but that shouldn't have come as a surprise.
The smuggler chieftain had been Tru Halcyon's father, and the child's grandfather, technically. The fact that she had destroyed the girl's spirit and claimed her body for her own didn't change the genetics of this shell.
Of course, what did it matter, she thought, Tru is gone, and this body is mine now, as is the boy. I conceived him with Fenn. I carried him, and I gave birth to him.
He is MY child! He is MY son!
My dear little Andur.
She leaned in and kissed the boy's forehead.
He…IS mine!
Andur burbled to himself, wiping at his forehead, he wanted her to think he didn't like the attention she showed him, but he always smiled after he finished trying to wipe away her kisses.
She sighed contentedly and once again looked to the skies.
"Do you see it, love," she asked him, " Do you realize that one day, all that we see will yours? The very heavens will bow to you, and you will rule over them as the most powerful man in the galaxy."
She squeezed him a little tighter.
"One day, my dear little emperor, all of this…will be yours!"
If Andur understood any of this, he didn't show it. In that moment he was more interested in playing with her hair, putting a lock of it within his mouth.
She said nothing, let him simply be a toddler, it was what he needed to be right now.
There was plenty of time for him to be more.
One day his training would begin, and the dark side would make him more.
But for now…he was simply hers.
She was content with that.
She carried him back inside and put him down on the blanket she had laid out near her desk, a scattering of toy ships sat around him. He was walking now, but seemed to have no problem sitting for hours and playing with his ships.
He was a quiet child though, she wondered about that sometimes.
She wondered what he was thinking, and if he understood all the moves she was making in the name of his future.
"Mum?"
His little voice drew her attention as it always did.
"Yes, my sweet?"
He held up one of his ships.
"Fy?" he asked making swooshing sounds with his mouth.
"Fy?"
She smiled and gestured with the Force.
Two of the ship's lifted off the blanket, and began swooping and spinning around his head.
The child giggled, pointing his finger like a blaster, and made zapping sounds.
It was a game they had played before, and the child loved it.
She enjoyed it too.
Her little fighter.
Her sweet soldier.
She watched him shoot at the fighters, every once and a while, he would reach up and try to grab it, even as she moved it out of reach.
She smiled.
Was it her imagination, or did she feel a slight tug in the Force when he held up his hand?
If so, she was most pleased.
Her boy was very strong in the Force.
He would make a grand emperor one day!
Again she considered her decision. Taya's mother had offered to show her some exercises that would open Andur up to his true potential, let him experience the dark side for the first time. Avaryss had rejected them outright, she saw no reason to do so. She didn't see the value of starting his training so early. Given her own history, she saw no reason to expose him to the power of rage and terror, not yet.
She had ample proof that such exposure would be a bad idea. She loved her tank-born son Jeer, but he seemed so…unstable sometimes, and some of that had to do with him being introduced to the dark side at a fairly young age.
She didn't want that for Andur. She didn't want to create another Jeer, or, worse case scenario, another Bael Feer.
Thinking of her late master's dead son, always brought back so many unpleasant memories. Bael had been a self-entitled little fungus. His end on Oridanna had been a pleasure she had indulged.
Since giving birth, she now understood much of Synestra Feer, her master's wife, why she spoiled her son to the point that he became what he had.
The woman had been an entitled manipulative witch! She had loved her son, however, a love that Avaryss now understood.
It would be easy to fall into the trap that Synestra had, to indulge the boy's every dark whim and desire.
Love could make one foolish, and she could not afford to be foolish, not with the future of her line and the empire.
She intended to do better with Andur, he would enjoy his childhood, and when pain, loss, and fear entered his life, which it would, make no mistake…
…she would be there to show him that such things could be turned to his advantage.
She would show him how they were all the path to power.
When the time came, she would teach him…or…
She frowned.
Or Rain would.
Andur would need a master. She still expected that to be her. She would be the one to show him all that, but should she fall before that time, she was confident that Rain would pick up that banner, and lead her son to victory.
She didn't believe Rain could defeat her in a duel, not yet, but in five more years, ten…
Who could say?
Either way, Andur would be taught, her was too strong, and too valuable a prize not to be.
He will either be my second true apprentice, or Rain's first, she accepted that.
Either way her line would continue.
During the nine months of her pregnancy, she had drilled into her student that her child would be an apprentice to one of them. Rain had accepted that fact, or seemed to.
If anything she was flattered.
Rain had been born with nothing, to a slave woman on the Bogden moons. Now, she was to be a Sith Master and teacher to the next emperor, provided she didn't fail in challenging her master for the title.
How could the girl not be honored?
Avaryss was offering her a chance to influence the very future of the empire, of the Galaxy!
Why wouldn't she feel honored?
For the moment, though, Rain was not here, the girl was off world, teaching the gangs that populated the Shae moon some respect. They had been wriggling under Sith control lately.
Avaryss was confident her apprentice would ensure they would fall back in line.
The gangs that ruled the resource rich moons of Bantoon had always been a problem, first for the mining guild, and then Queen Vessaria and her husband, Jas Dar Bynn. It was ironic that those gangs now answered mostly to the Under Lord Go. Otherwise known as Gabriel Orys Istillo, prince of Bantoon and son of Jas Dar Bynn.
The dark lord had been tempted to replace the young man, but had finally chosen not to bother. Had she killed the queen's son, the underworld on the moons would have fallen into chaos, chaos that the Sith would have needed to waste resources on putting down.
The gangs still desired his removal though. They watched the prince and reported his every move to her, hopeful that she would act.
Again, why bother, the gangs were doing her work for her, making sure the boy did not resist, and he in turn kept them distracted.
It was an interesting arrangement, with her playing both sides against the middle. Still, after the attack, maybe she should…
She let the possible scenarios play out in her head, again, she saw only trouble if she acted rashly.
No, it was better to let Go continue to rule, he was no threat to her, not with his mother and sister in her custody. If he caused problems, the Sith would have made sure the two women suffered. The Underlord understood that.
Avaryss smiled at the trap she had woven for the royals of this world.
They dared not act against her, neither the queen or her son would risk the lives of the rest of their family. Mirax, the oldest daughter had tried to make trouble early in the second year of Avaryss' rule here, but she, and her Paladina allies had been defeated.
The dark lord had been tempted to kill her, but that would have cost her some leverage.
Fortunately, Mister Rink and Lord Dustyn had come up with a solution, a means of making sure that the princess cause no more trouble.
It had horrified the queen, but she had quickly come to accept the reality of what had been done, if she chose not to, her son would share his sister's fate, regardless of his value.
So, the queen had relented, and Avaryss' reign had continued, if not peacefully, at the very least, orderly.
Until three days ago, the dark lord thought with a frown.
Until the attack on the temple.
The chime on her desk sounded, Avaryss reached down and clicked it, activating her communicator.
"Yes?"
"We have brought the queen, my lord," a familiar cold voice answered, "Shall we bring her in?"
"Do so, Bleez," Avaryss ordered.
She leaned back in her chair and faced to opening door, with a cool smile on her face.
Let Her Grace see that I'm unconcerned.
I can always draw my blade if I need it.
The huge black double doors opened, admitting the Queen, her Sworn Protector, and Warmaster Bleez. As always, the Warmaster was dressed in a plain slate-black set of Sith Trooper armor. Only the scarlet half cape she wore distinguished her from any of the other fighters in Avaryss' army.
At the Queen's side walked Char Valenthyne, Sworn Protector, Knell Trooper, and Captain of Avaryss royal guard.
Looking upon the old woman, Avaryss could not help but smirk.
For decades she had protected Queen Vessaria and her husband, and now, thanks to the programming, and genetic alteration she had undergone, she had become one of the royal family's greatest traitors.
Hecaetus had been wise to infiltrate the Sworn Protector program all those years ago, and now, thanks to his good work, the planet had fallen to the Sith in a matter of hour, and many of the nobles that could have opposed them had died in the first few hours, killed by their own loyal defenders.
Avaryss almost laughed at the mere thought of it.
It had been a glorious plan.
Delicious!
The Dark Lord reached out with the Force, even now she could feel Char Valenthyne trying to resist her programming, yet still helpless before it. The woman was literally trapped in her own mind. Avaryss could have ordered her to kill the queen and she would have done it without even a second thought.
Such an order would be torture of the old protector, but very amusing for Avaryss, alas, it was an order she could not give.
She still needed the queen…for now.
As for the queen herself, Avaryss never failed to be…impressed in her presence. Despite being well into her sixth decade of life, the woman still cut an intimidating figure. The off the shoulder blue gown she wore not so different from Avaryss', though the dark lord preferred red silk over blue.
None could deny that Jas Dar Bynn's widow remained somewhat attractive.
Her figure remained slender, yet shapely, an impressive feat considering she had birthed four children in her lifetime. Avaryss had needed to work at losing the last few pounds left over from birthing Andur. Though not very tall, the queen was still strong and in good health, and thanks to her people's genetic technology appeared about twenty to twenty-five years younger than she actually was. Her short hair was still more blond than grey, and her blue eyes still sharp and intelligent.
Though she was greyer than she had been three years ago, and the wrinkles on her face more pronounced, but that was more from stress and fear than actual aging.
Vessaria IX didn't flinch under the dark lord's gaze, she entered the room with her head straight and tall. Cautious, yes, but with a trace of defiance that the Sith had not been able to drive out of her yet.
Though Avaryss did enjoy trying, she decided to twist the blade a bit.
She activated the display lights on the right-hand wall of her office. The room, like all the buildings in the capitol city were built of the same tan stone, most rooms in the palace had tapestries or paintings to cover the harsh brown walls.
Avaryss had chosen a different form of decoration. Five in all now graced the wall of the dark lord's office.
Vessaria's eyes fell on the one that it always did, and again, pain radiated out from the old ruler.
"Must you keep her this way?" the queen demanded, " Hasn't she, hasn't any of them, suffered enough?!"
The dark lord shrugged.
"I find looking upon their faces every day, soothing, Your Grace."
Vessaria shook her head, yet her eyes were drawn back to the closest of the decorations. The one that hurt her the most.
Princess Mirax Istillo, the Queen's oldest living child, her face frozen in a moment of intense pain! The exact moment the carbonite had flowed over her, and incased her, leaving her trapped in a slab of the substance, and put her into a state of deep hibernation.
The dark lord chuckled.
She enjoyed that decoration far more than the others.
She had not been sure about it at first, using carbon freezing to ensure that dangerous prisoners that she still needed alive were kept in check. She knew that the Zakuul used carbonite in such a way, and bounty hunters used carbonite projectors to secure prisoners in the short term, but the dark lord had never attempted anything like this before now.
As whole, she was pleased with how it had worked out.
It was a wonderful way to bring a little color to the walls of her dwelling.
Princess Mirax had not been the first, but she had been one of the earlier subjects. The other four contained Brother Norrin, head of the Faith of Bantoon. Matriarch Tobbi, the Queen's best friend. High General Obarra, the last Bann to hold the title before the Sith takeover. As well as two officers of the mining guild, two men that the organization had asked her to take care of, Avaryss was not sure why, but their removal had pleased the galactic mega-corp.
She still had people trying to figure out what they had done to deserve such a fate. She was confident that her agents would discover it, one day.
For now, they made great wall decorations, the perfect thing to brighten up her room!
Her expression still-pained, the queen let the dark lord's guards lead her to chair across from the Sith Master.
Avaryss leaned back, drinking in her pain.
Yet, even that small pleasure needed to be kept short.
She had not summoned the queen simply for her own amusement.
They did have business to discuss.
"Your youngest child continues to vex me, your grace," Avaryss began, "I was hoping we had moved past all this chaos."
The Queen shrugged.
"Bayla has always been willful," she said dismissively, "Though I don't see how she can be such a problem for you. She isn't even on this world."
The dark lord scowled.
"Yet, the Paladina are. They continue their acts of terrorism and resistance. The work on my temple has stalled."
The Queen gave her a look that spoke volumes.
"How sad for you," Vessaria replied dryly.
Avaryss' lip twisted into a sneer.
She was just about to show the queen just how sad such an event was, but hesitated, realizing that her son was still playing barely three feet away.
No, she would spare him seeing her lose her temper.
There was no need for him to see her rage.
She took a deep breath and tried again.
She would be…reasonable.
"Your Grace," she began, "I thought we had come to an understanding. You would lend your voice to keeping any seeking to resist in check, and I would keep my people under control, and resist the urge to make examples of those who prove themselves troublemakers."
The dark lord let a hint of menace creep into her voice.
"Do we need to reevaluate that arrangement?"
"I have nothing to do with the Paladina, my lord," the queen said.
"Yet, they continue to strike at me, in your daughter's name."
Again the queen shrugged.
"Master Shalaya is no fool. Why wouldn't she use my daughter's name. She is the one member of the royal family not under your thumb."
The old woman glared at her.
"Why would they not consider her a symbol. She IS free, and we ARE not."
Avaryss pursed her lips, imagining all the cruel tortures she could inflict on the woman, perhaps she would broadcast those tortures over the holonet, draw the princess back here. It would be a risk, but…
…oh how it was tempting…so very tempting.
Bayla Istillo, she thought angrily.
How she regretted the fact that her plans years ago had not played out as they should have.
The Princess Bayla had been Avaryss' first choice for a new host body. She was the one the dark lord wanted from the start. Sadly, her loyal assassin droid, HK Sigma 3 had failed in his mission to capture her. The princess never left Bantoon, and if she did, it was always under heavy military escort.
Capturing her had proven impossible, and in the end, Avaryss' failing health had forced her to choose her second option for her new body. The Jedi turned smuggler Tru Halcyon.
Even now, that choice vexed her.
Her problems on Bantoon should never have happened. Had HK succeeded, Avaryss would have been reborn within the body of Bayla Istillo, had that happened, Bantoon would have been hers by right. She had already planned out the accidents that would have befallen the mother, and older sister, leaving only Bayla to take up the crown.
Had that occurred, there would have been no need to go into exile on Ambria. Her plans against Survivor Squad would have advanced so much more quickly. She could have approached Jas Dar Bynn as his daughter, and maneuvered him and his allies into her service. There would have been no hesitation in finding the keys, keys that Bayla would have needed for one reason or another. It would have also made destroying them so much easier. They would have been on Bantoon, and been unable to escape when she sprang her final trap.
She looked over at her son, her sweet Andur.
The seduction of Fenn might have gone easier too. True, he had desired Avaryss when she had been Keera, but the attention of a princess would be hard to deny. When he got her with child, that would have completed the circle. She would finally have achieved noble status. Her son would be royal. He would have been of royal blood, and all those Sith that were so obsessed with bloodlines would have had nothing to say then. She would have been of royal blood too.
So much potential she thought.
So much time wasted.
In the years since, HK Sigma 3 had begged her to let him seek out Bayla Istillo again, he had seen her escape as an insult to his programming, a stain on his reputation that he was more than eager to wipe away.
At this moment, looking into the queen's defiant eyes, she was considering letting him do just that.
HK would welcome the chance to bring the woman's head back, bring it back, and drop it in her mother's lap.
Again, the dark lord was tempted.
After her talk with the queen, they would see.
Again, she looked coldly upon Vessaria.
"I will say again," she repeated, "must I reconsider our arrangement?"
The queen folded her hands into her lap.
"And I will say again, Sith. I have no sway over what the Paladina do, and I have not spoken with my daughter in years. My people only seek their freedom. Such a desire is not an easy thing to crush."
Avaryss didn't respond to that.
She was actually quite good at crushing dreams and hopes, but for the moment, she still needed to hold that desire in check.
It would be fun to break the Bann's will, but it was also risky.
She still needed to keep things running smoothly, after years of silence, the galaxy was starting to heat up again.
The rise of this…Galactic Alliance against the Zakuul was just the distraction she needed, all eyes were turning away from Bantoon, and as her enemies turned their backs, ready to engage each other, she would come up behind them, and slide in the knife.
She was so close to victory.
She would not let her temper endanger that now.
She sighed, and leaned back in her chair. At her side, Andur continued to giggle, making zapping noises as he pointed at the little ships flying around him.
It pleased her that she was able to both play with her son, and deal with Jas Dar Bynn's shutta of a widow.
If that wasn't a show of power, she didn't know what one was.
She put on her most innocent look.
"Despite the interference of these terrorists," she began, "I'm still committed to the arrangements we have made. I made you a promise once, your grace, and I shall make it again. Once the temple is completed, and I have dealt with the Zakuul and my many enemies within the Sith Empire, I will restore your freedom to you. My men will retreat to the temple, to maintain it, while I return to the empire. In this, you have my word."
The queen's face remained as skeptical as it had been three years ago.
"You will leave," Vessaria said, "Just like that?"
"Just like that," Avaryss answered.
The queen frowned.
"The nobles that supported you will not like that."
Avaryss smirked.
"Their happiness doesn't matter to me. Though you would be wise to maintain a good relationship with them. If everything goes as I hope, both I and the Empire will be more powerful than ever. When I leave, the people of Bantoon may wish to have a friend in me. I can be most generous to those that I have a good relationship with."
The queen nodded, if she truly believed it though, Avaryss could not tell, the woman was terribly strong willed.
She could see why Jas Dar Bynn had married her in the first place.
"I will keep your offer in mind," she said with a slight bow.
"You do that," Avaryss replied, "And while you are at it. You should think about who might be able to get you in touch with Kit Shalaya and the rest of her Paladina allies. If they keep causing me problems, I can't vouch for their continued health and survival. The same goes for your daughter. My reach is longer than you might expect, your grace. Your little Bayla will not have many places to hide if I choose to let those that serve me well deal with her."
She gestured to the carbonite wall hangings, particularly the one that contained Princess Mirax.
"I have been far more gentle than most Sith would have been, up until now, but believe me, I can be cruel when the need calls for it."
From the look on the old woman's face, there was little about Avaryss' reign her that she considered gentle, but she was wise enough not to say anything more.
A wise woman, Avaryss thought, a smart ruler.
She would be even wiser to trust the dark lord at her word.
The Bann had not seen her being cruel…
…not yet.
"We are both mothers, Your Grace. We both want what is best for our children. As a queen, you are also mother to your people, think of them. There is no reason for them to suffer needlessly. Don't force me to take steps that we would both regret."
Vessaria shook her head.
"And what would you do if you were in my position, Sith? What if it was your little one forced into hiding far from his home. What would you do to the one that had him hunted and chased like an animal?"
A good point, Avaryss thought, glancing down at Andur.
What would she have done? For starters, she would never have let things go this far.
She would kill any Sith that tried to leave her where Vessaria was now.
"You have given me much to think about, Your Grace. I will consider your words."
She turned to the Warmaster and her knell trooper slave.
Bleez, Knell Trooper Valenthyne, please see the queen back to her apartments.
The old woman rose, taking one last look at the wall decoration that had been her daughter. When Valenthyne touched her shoulder, tried to nudge her forward, the queen shrank away, glaring at the older woman, her former protector and confidant.
Avaryss smiled.
She liked the idea that she had corrupted their relationship.
That thought warmed her.
The queen and her escorts left her then, leaving Avaryss alone with little Andur, and as it always did, their game concluded.
One by one, the little plastic ships fell as her son pointed at them, the bolts of his imagination finally finding their marks.
As the last one fell, the boy squealed with delight, jumping up and down in celebration, and waving his little hands in the air.
Avaryss smiled.
She loved making her son smile…
…just as she enjoyed keeping her word.
Most would have found that thought odd, Sith were known for deceit and betrayal. The dark lord was skilled in both, but she found the truth much more fun, especially when it was from a certain point of view.
Her point of view.
She chuckled.
She had not lied to Queen Vessaria. When the temple was completed, when the Zakuul had been wiped out, Coruscant had been cowed, and all of Dromund Kaas fell whimpering to their knees, kissing her feet. She would leave Bantoon to its Queen.
Yes, she would leave the planet…or rather…
…what was left of it.
The thought, as well as image of what was coming danced through her mind, sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine.
A most unfortunate truth, Your Grace, but all so perfect.
The Sith cackled to herself, her son giggling and celebrating his victory at her side.
They both laughed and contemplated victory.
Delicious!